Whoopi Goldberg interested in appearing in Star Trek: Picard

Acclaimed actor and Next Generation alum Whoopi Goldberg has made it known she would love to return to Star Trek in the new Picard series.

I will be the first to admit I never really got the character of Guinan on Star Trek: The Next Generation. I get that the Enterprise-D had families on board and so forth, but a full-fledged bar? On a startship? With an actual bartender? The whole idea made me scratch my head on more than one occasion.

However, that didn’t stop me from enjoying the work Whoopi Goldberg did on the show. There’s a reason she has won numerous awards and honors and the fact she actually wanted to be on Star Trek because she’s a fan was an added bonus.

Goldberg appeared on 29 episodes of The Next Generation as well as playing a key role in Star Trek: Generations. Throughout her time with the franchise, it was always indicated that her and Captain Picard has a special rapport, something beyond friendship that was never fully explained. Once the show ended, the assumption was that we would never find out just what it was that bonded these two characters together.

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That impression didn’t change once it was announced last year that Sir Patrick Stewart would be returning to the role of Jean-Luc Picard in a new series. Star Trek: Picard would pick up 20 years after Star Trek: Nemesis and would be a very story driven, heavily serialized series that would show the character in a new phase of his life.

Ask Goldberg, and she things that new phase should include an appearance by Guinan.

Goldberg was a recent guest on David Tennant’s new podcast David Tennant Does a Podcast with… (yes, that David Tennant. As in former Doctor Who David Tennant) and the subject of Star Trek came up. Goldberg talked about how she got the role on the show only after going directly to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry to convince him she was serious about being on The Next Generation.

So of course the new Star trek: Picard series was discussed and Tennant asked about the possibility of her returning to the role of Guinan on the show. Goldberg said she would love to, but the producers haven’t asked her yet.

"Tennant: You could presumably go back to Star Trek. Patrick Stewart is back at it.Goldberg: I know, but, you know, they have not asked me.Tennant: You need to ask them again. They would probably think you are kidding.Goldberg: Well, I don’t know. Maybe. I will. I’ll put it out there.Tennant: Well, this could be it. We are putting it out there.Goldberg: All right. We are putting it out there right now."

Of all the various characters who could make a return appearance on Picard, Guinan actually makes the most sense. There is a lot of untapped story there that could be explored and with the story driven nature of the new show, it could be the perfect time to do just that.

Also, seems incredibly appropriate that Picard and Guinan would have stayed in touch over the last two decades. The two actors really seemed to enjoy working together and Guinan seems like the type who wouldn’t let her friendship with Picard just wither and die.

At this point there have been no casting announcements for Star Trek: Picard, but as soon as that changes you can read about it right here on Redshirts Always Die.